Tim is originally from Northern NJ, where he majored in Communications concentrating in film & film studies. As his own career frustrates him, watching great films has been a continued source of entertainment and inspiration.

Animal instincts: “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans”

Werner Herzog is an interesting man who makes fascinating films. In the documentary “A Burden of Dreams“, he is shown obsessively directing “Fitzcarraldo” and fighting with his lead actor Klaus Kinski, who in the film plays an equally obsessive artist fighting back madness to realize his vision. In the past five years Herzog has given us two fine documentaries: Grizzly Man (2005) and Encounters at the End of the World (2007) both of which show us man in relation to nature which is beautiful but hostile.

On the other hand, Nicolas Cage has won a best actor Oscar for “Leaving Las Vegas” and certainly makes a lot of films; but unfortunately only rarely are they very good. Last year it came to light that he was a compulsive spender so it’s evident that he mostly works for the paychecks rather then the roles. “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call – New Orleans” teams these two eccentric artists up in a ‘reworking” of director Abel Ferrara’s memorable 1992 “”Bad Lieutenant,” a bizarre project to say the least. Not a remake or a sequel it appears that the “BL” label is just a marketing gimmick since the two films are just slightly similar. Herzog has stated on the record that he has never seen the original, while Ferrara has wished everyone involved in this production death.

Whereas the original was a dark, intense film about excess and salvation, Herzog and Cage seem to have a more enjoyable time with the evils of the world. Post-Katrina New Orleans is filled with drug deals, murder, sex, gambling, corruption and characters just trying to survive the day. It opens with a water moccasin snake slithering back into the city after the flood. Terence McDonagh (Cage) and his sleazy partner (an under-used Val Kilmer) come upon a forgotten prisoner trapped in a lock-up cell. On his last good instinct McDonagh saves the man but hurts his back in the process earning a medal, a promotion and a drug habit. We cut to a year later and coke sniffing McDonagh is now put in charge of a case involving the mass murder of an African family who were rubbed out by a local drug lord, “Big Fate’. From this great setup the film veers in all different directions and it is as unpredictable as a binge weekend. Cage seems to have a changing accent throughout but he is perfect for the role sauntering around with his big gun tucked in the front of his belt like a fearless, intoxicated pirate.

In addition to the snake we have a pet dog that is passed around like a loose joint, a grieving roadside alligator and some imaginary iguanas that all remind us of that natural world, the darker side of man, encroaching on most of the folks in this story. Shaking down young club goers for drugs and sex, attempting to fix football games, beating up old women and laughing like a madman, McDonagh is nonetheless, still a cop trying to do his job and protect his prostitute girlfriend (Eva Mendes). Like “The Wire” this film shows a corrupt world that taints everyone involved. Yet unlike Ferrara, Herzog finds the black comedy in his absurdist noir. Seeing the alligators’ or imaginary iguanas’ point of view, watching another mans soul dance as he dies, or showing the delight of a junkie cop who finds a unexpected stash is good fun. In the end it’s all about enjoying the ride and this film reminds us how formulaic most police thrillers have become. The actors, director and story have all converged to produce a unique; entertaining look at how doing the right thing is a whole lot harder than following our animal instincts. Something our newspapers and Cages’ accountant remind us of everyday.